Combined bar support and spacer



April 18, 1939. B HiLLBERG 2,154,743

COMBINED BAR SUPPORT AND SPACER Filed Oct. 9, 1957 v a H /ZZZ? Patented Apr. 18, 1939 UNITED STATES COMBINED BAR SUPPORT AND SPACER Bror Hillberg, Chicago, Ill., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Reconstruction Finance Gorporation, a corporation of the United States Application October 9, 1937, Serial No. 168,184

8 Claims.

The present invention relates generally to combined supports and spacers for bars. More particularly the invention relates to that type of combined support and spacer which is adapted for use in connection with the formation of a concrete structure and comprises a series of M-shaped wire formed chairs which are welded to and spaced equidistantly along a horizontally extending transversely disposed spacer rod, have en- 10 larged pocket type intermediate parts for receiving a series of parallel horizontally extending longitudinally disposed bars such as dowel or reinforcing bars, and are designed to support above the spacer rod and adjacent to the enlarged intermediate parts thereof a horizontally extending transversely disposed rod for sustaining the bars and maintaining or holding them in horizontal alignment.

One object of the invention is to provide a combined support and spacer of this type which is an improvement upon, and may be assembled more readily and produced at a lower cost than, previously designed combined bar supports and spacers by reason of the fact. that the intermediate parts of the M-shaped wire formed chairs are twisted or bent so that they extend diagonally with respect to the longitudinally disposed bars and the lower portions of the pockets therein are aligned with one another and form seats over the spacer rod for retaining the bar sustaining and aligning rod.

Another object of the invention is to provide a combined support and spacer of the last mentioned character in which the bar sustaining and aligning rod rests loosely within the seat forming portions of the pockets in the intermediate parts of the M-shaped chairs and hence may be removed from the chairs whenever desired.

Another object of the invention is to provide a combined support and spacer of the type and character under consideration in which the upper portions of the intermediate parts of the chairs extend inwardly and, not only form restricted entrances for the pockets whereby the bars after insertion thereof are retained in place in the pockets but also urge the bars downwards in such manner that when the bar sustaining and aligning rod is in place in the seat portions of the pockets they clamp or hold it against axial displacement.

A further object of the invention is to providea combined support and spacer of the aforementioned type and character which in conjunction with a like support and spacer and with wirell formed cross rods between it and the like combined support and spacer is adapted to form a unit for supporting a concrete roadway joint of the compressible filler strip and dowel bar type.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a combined bar support and spacer which is 5 generally of new and improved construction.

Other objects of the invention and the various advantages and characteristics of the present combined support and spacer will be apparent from a consideration of the following detailed 10 description.

The invention consists in the several novel features which are hereinafter set forth and are more particularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawing which accompanies and forms a part of this specification or disclosure and in which like numerals of reference denote corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a perspective of a joint supporting 20 unit embodying the invention; 7

Figure 2 is a plan view of one of, the bar stuporting chairs; and

Figures 3 and 4 are respectively, side and end views of the chair of Figure 2 illustrating in de-' 25 tall the manner in which the intermedlatepart thereof is twisted or bent for rod and bar receiving purposes.

The invention is exemplified in a unit for use in connection with a concrete roadway joint conso sisting of a filler strip S of compressible material and a series of parallel horizontally extending dowel bars B. The joint is adapted for disposition between a pair of adjoining roadway forming slabs (not shown) and, as well understood in the 36 art, permits the slabs to expand and contract in response to temperature or weather changes. The strip S is formed of suitably treated felt or any other suitable material and is adapted to fit in an upstanding position between the slabs. 40 The dowel bars B extend through holes in the strip S and constitute load transfer members whereby a load on one of the slabs is transmitted to the other slab'. They are adapted to extend lengthwise of th slabs and are provided 46 with grease or graphite so thatlduring pouring of the concrete for the slabs the concrete will not adhere thereto. As a result of the'grease or graphite the bars after setting of the slabs are free to slide longitudinally and permit the slabs 50 to expand or move to and from one another in response to. expansion and contraction.

The unit serves to hold the joint in place during pouring of the concrete in connection with formation of the slabs. It is adapted to become ll permanently associated with and also to reinforce the concrete and consists of a pair of combined bar supports and spacers l and ,0, and a series of cross-rods I. The combined support and spacer l is located at one side of the compressible strip 8 of the joint and serves to support the adjoining ends of the dowel bars B and the combined support and spacer O is located on the other side of the strip 8 and is associated with and serves to support the other ends of the dowel bars. The cross-rods I extend between the supports and spacers l and and serve to hold them in laterally spaced relation.

The combined support and spacer extends substantially parallel with the strip 8 and comprises a series of M-shaped chairs 8. The latter are formed of still! wire and underlie the dowel bars B. They are welded, as hereinafter described, to a spacer rod I and carry a bar sustaining and aligning rod It. The rod l extends horizontally and is adapted for embedment in and to extend transversely through the road forming 'slab which carries the adjacent ends of the dowel bars 8. It is formed of comparatively -=stifl wire and extends in parallel relation with the strip 5 of compressible material. The wire formed chairs i are equidistantly spaced along the spacer rod 0 and embody downwardly divergent legs ii and I2 and intermediate parts it. The legs Ii of the chairs are laterally offset with respect to the legs II and have'their lower ends welded to the outer side face of the spacer rod I, as shown in Figures B and 4. The legs I! of the chairs are the same in length as the legs II and have the lower ends thereof welded to the inner side face of'the spacer rod 9. The intermediate parts I! of the chairs 8 define bar receiving pockets I4 and are connected to the upper ends of the legs II and II by semicircular loops II. They'extend diagonally with respect to the dowel bars B, as shown in Figure 2, and as a res'u lt the'lower portions of the pockets i4 therein form seats I. for the bar sustaining and aligning rod II. The rod II is formed of slightly heavier stock than the rod 9 and directly over- "lies the latter. It'is disposed in parallel relation with the strip 8 and is adapted to be embedded inand to extend transversely through the slab which is formed around the adjacent ends of the dowel bars B. The central portions of the intermediate parts I: are fiat and extend at substantially angles of 45 with respect to the dowel bars 3. Because of this, the end portions of the intermediate parts as well as the upper ends of 55 the legs ii and II are positioned or disposed in do in the seats it, as shown in Figure 4, and hence may be removed when its use is not necessary or desired. The adjoining ends of the dowel bars B are adapted to fit within the pockets H in such manner that they extend at right angles to, and are sustained and horizontally aligned by, the rod II. The pockets ll are preferably of such width that the end portions of the intermediate parts ll engage the sides of the adjoining ends of the dowel bars B (see Figure 3) and hold them against sidewise displacement. The upper extremities of the end portions of the intermediate parts ll of the chairs extend inwardly and not onhr define restricted entrances for the pockets H but also serve to urge the adjoining ends of the "dowel bars B downwards with wedging action in the lower portions-of the pockets ll.

into firm engagement with the bar sustaining and aligning rod It. By urging said adjoining ends of the dowel bars downwards in this manner the rod II is held against axial displacement while it is in the seats II at the lower portions of the pockets i4.

The combined support and spacer l at the other or opposite side of the compressible strip S is exalctly the same in design and construction as the support and spacer 5. It operates, as hereinbefore described, to support the adjoining ends of the dowel bars B and consists of a series of M-shaped chairs II, a spacer rod it and a bar sustaining and aligning rod IS. The chairs II are formed of wire and are disposed in opposed relation with the chairs 8. parts of the chairs are twisted or bent so that they are diagonally positioned and form pockets for the adjoining ends of the dowel bars and seats II for the rod IS. The inner legs of the chairs l1 are welded at their lower ends to the inner side face of the rod It and the outer legs are welded at their lower ends to the outer side face of this rod. The rod is corresponds in size and length to the rod III and is loosely mounted in the seats 2i.

bars B and is loosely mounted in the seats 2i so that it may be removed if desired.

The cross-rods I are formed of wire of approximately the same gauge as the spacer rods 0 and il. They underlie the strip S and extend between and serve to space apart and hold in an upstanding position the combined supports and spacers 5 and 6. The ends of the cross-rods overlie the rods 9 and I8 and are welded to the latter and also to the outermost legs of the chairs I and I! at the points where such legs-intersect and are welded to the spacer rods. The central portions of the cross-rods are bent into U-shaped design and form sockets 22 for the bottom portion of the compressible filler strip S. The bottom portion of the filler strip fits snugly within the sockets and is held against lateral displacement thereby during pouring of the concrete on either side of the strip. V

In assembling the joint and unit, the rod II is first positioned above the chairs I and then shifted downwards until it springs apart the loops l5 and drops into engagement with the seats I Thereafter the rod i9 is shifted into contact with the seats 2! which are formed by the intermediate parts of the chairs ll of the combined support and spacer 6. After so positioning or mounting the rods I0 and IS, the dowel bars B are inserted through the holes in the central-portion of the strip S and the strip with the bars is positioned over the unit and then shifted downwards in order to bring the lower margin thereof into interfitting relation with the sockets 22 in the central portions of the cross-rods 1. After properly positioning the lower or bottom portion of the strip S the ends of the dowel bars over the bar l0 are forced into the pockets ll through the restricted pocket entrances and the other ends of the dowel bars, that is, the ends over the rod I! are shifted downwards into the pockets 2! in the intermediateparts of the chairs II. The ends of the dowel bars enter the pockets with a snap action as a result of the restricted pocket entrances and when within the pockets they bear against and clamp downwards the rods it and i9. After snapping of the ends of the dowel bars The intermediate It serves to sustain and horizontally align the adjoining ends of the dowel in place the joint and unit are adapted to have concrete poured thereabout.

Whereas the invention has been described in connection with a unit for supporting a joint of the filler strip and dowel bar type, it is to be understood that the invention contemplates as one embodiment thereof a simple combined support and spacer. for general use in connection with a series of parallel horizontally disposed bars. It is also to be understood that the invention is not to be restricted to the details set forth, since these may be modified within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A combined support and spacer for parallel substantially horizontal laterally spaced bars, comprising a spacer rod beneath and at right angles to the bars, a series of laterally spaced M-shaped chairs extending lengthwise of, and having the lower ends of the legs thereof, connected to the spacer rod, and having the intermediate parts thereof forming pockets for the bars and bent sov that the central portions thereof extend diagonally with respect to the bars and form aligned seats at the bottom portions of the pockets, and a rod over and parallel with the spacer rod fitting in and supported by the seats and serving as a rest for and to align the bars.

2. A combined support and spacer for parallel substantially horizontal laterally spaced bars, comprising a metallic spacer rod beneath and at right angles to the bars, a series of laterally spaced M-shaped wire formed chairs extending lengthwise of, and having the lower ends of the legs thereof welded to, the spacer rod, and having the intermediate parts thereof forming pockets for the bars and bent so that the central portions thereof extend diagonally with respect to the bars and form aligned seats at the bottom portions of the pockets, and a rod over and parallel with the spacer rod fitting loosely in and supportedby the seats and adapted to engage directly and sustain and also align the bars.

3. A combined support and spacer for parallel substantially horizontal laterally spaced bars, comprising a spacer rod beneath and at right angles to the bars, a series of laterally spaced M-shaped wire formed chairs'extending lengthwise of, and having the lower ends of the legs thereof arranged in straddled relation with and welded to, the spacer rod, and having the intermediate parts thereof forming upwardly opening pockets for the bars and provided with substantially straight central portions extending at substantially 45 angles with respect to the bars and defining aligned seats at the bottom portions of the pockets, and a rod over and parallel with the spacer rod fitting loosely in the seats and arranged to engage directly and sustain and also align the bars.

4. A combined support and spacer for parallel substantially horizontal laterally spaced bars, comprising a spacer rod beneath and at right angles to the bars, a series of laterally spaced M-shaped chairs extending lengthwise of, and having the lower ends of the legs thereof connected to, the spacer rod, and having the intermediate parts thereof forming upwardly opening pockets for the bars and bent so that the central portions thereof extend diagonally under the bars and form aligned seats at the bottom portions of the pockets, 9. rod over and parallel with the spacer rod fitting loosely in and supported by the seats and servtng to support and align the bars, and means formed integrally with the extremities of the intermediate parts of the chairs forming restricted entrances for the pockets and designed to force the bars downwards with a wedging action and cause the latter to clamp the aligning rod in the seats and hold it against axial displacement.

5. A unit adapted to support a roadway joint in the form of a horizontally elongated upstanding compressible element and a series of laterally spaced substantially horizontal dowel bars extending through the central portion of the element, and comprising a pair of spacer rods disposed on opposite sides of, and in substantially parallel relation with, the element, two opposed series of laterally spaced M-shaped chairs associated with the spacer rods respectively and having the legs thereof connected to said rods and their intermediate parts forming pockets for the ends of the dowel bars and bent so that the central portions thereof extend diagonally with respect to the bars and form aligned seats at the bottom portions of the pockets, a pair of rods over and parallel with the spacer rods fitting in the seats. and arranged to engage directly and support as well as align horizontally the dowel bars, and cross-rods between and connected to the spacer rods and operating to hold the latter in spaced and connected relation.

6. A unit adapted to support a roadway joint in the form of a horizontally elongated upstanding compressible element and a series of laterally spaced substantially horizontal dowel bars extending through the central portion of the element, and comprising a pair of metallic spacer rods disposed on opposite sides of, and in substantially parallel relation with, the element, two opposed series of laterally spaced M-shaped wire formed chairsassociated with the spacer rods respectively and having the lower portions of the legs thereof welded to said rods and their intermediate parts forming pockets for the ends of the dowel bars and bent so that the central portions thereof extend under and at substantially 45 angles with respect to the bars and form aligned seats at the bottom portions of the pockets, a pair of rods positioned over the spacer rods respectively and fitting in the seats in such manner that they serve to sustain and align horizontally the dowel bars, and metallic cross-rods for securing the spacer bars in connected relation adapted to underlie the element and having the ends thereof welded to said spacer rods.

'7. A unit adapted to support a roadway joint in the form of a horizontally elongated upstanding compressible element and a series of laterally spaced substantially horizontal dowel bars extending through the central portion of the element, and comprising a pair of spacer rods disposed on opposite sides of, and in substantially parallel relation with, the element, two opposed series of laterally spaced M-shaped chairs associated with the spacer rods respectively and having the legs thereof connected to said rods and their intermediate parts forming pockets for the ends of the dowel bars, and cross-rods extending between and connected at the ends thereof to and serving to cross-connect the spacer bars and having means at the central portions thereof for receiving and holding against sidewise displacement the bottom portion of the element. 7

8. A unit adapted to support a roadway joint in the form of a horizontally elongated upstanding compressible element and a series of laterally spaced substantially horizontal dowel bars extending through the central portion of the element, and comprising a pair of spacer rods disposed on opposite sides 01', and in substantially parallel relation with, the element, two opposed series oi laterally spaced M-shaped chairs associated with the spacer rods respectively and having the legs thereof connected to said rods and their intermediate parts forming pockets for the ends of the dowel bars. and cross-rods extending between and connected at the ends thereof to and serving to cross-connect the spacer bars and having the central portions thereof bent downwards to form U-shaped sockets for receiving and 5 anon mam. 

